The completion of major road projects by the North East Development Commission (NEDC) in Borno State has begun to restore economic activities and improve the livelihoods of communities badly affected by insurgency, the Minister of Regional Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh, has said.
Momoh stated this during an inspection of NEDC projects in Maiduguri, according to a statement made available on Thursday by the ministry’s Head of Media and Information, Mr. Sani Datti.
The minister who assessed completed road networks as well as other major interventions ahead of their commissioning, said the completed roads in the Jere/Mafa axis had opened up the area for greater economic activities, particularly by enabling farmers to transport their agricultural produce to Maiduguri and other markets.
“The economic activities have been revived in that corridor, enhancing the livelihoods of those affected by the insurgency; they are also now able to evacuate their agricultural produce to the city centre,” he said.
The projects inspected included the 22.5-kilometre Jere Bowl Road network, 10.5-kilometre Ngwom-Kashebe Road, 8.5-kilometre Gongulong-Zabarmari-Khaddamar Road and 3.5-kilometre Galameri-Dasuman Road.
Momoh said the road infrastructure was part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to accelerate development and restore economic opportunities in the North-East.
He also inspected NEDC’s electric vehicle project, comprising buses, tricycles and taxis, alongside charging infrastructure under construction.
According to him, nearly 10,000 electric vehicles and tricycles are being assembled for distribution across the region, describing the initiative as one of the major projects approved by the Federal Executive Council.
“I’m impressed today as we aren’t disappointed to see this project is seeing the light of the day; nearly ten thousand E-vehicles and tricycles are nearly assembled,” Momoh said.
The minister further inspected the nearly completed NEDC state office and the ongoing construction of the commission’s corporate headquarters in Maiduguri.
He said the inspection was necessary for the supervising ministry to ascertain the progress of projects on the ground before inviting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for their commissioning.
Momoh commended the NEDC Managing Director, Mohammed Goni Alkali, the board and management for their efforts in delivering projects targeted at rebuilding and revitalising the North-East.
He was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Regional Development, Dr Mary Ogbe, ministry officials and members of the NEDC management team.
